DOCTORS’ APPROVAL – Two doctors explain why President Biden’s decision to back out of the 2024 election may have been best for his health. Continue reading…

VIRAL CONCERNS – As President Biden makes his first public appearance since contracting COVID-19, concerns about his health persist. Continue reading…

MEDICAL HISTORY – Before Joe Biden, these 5 past presidents battled health issues ahead of re-election. Continue reading…

(left to right) U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt all endured health complications while in office or running for re-election. (Getty Images)

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DEMENTIA DISCOVERY – Mayo Clinic has identified a new type of memory loss that’s often mistaken for Alzheimer’s. Doctors break down the findings. Continue reading…

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Researchers share with Fox News Digital how the Taylor Swift’s music and experience with disordered eating have had a “profound impact.” (Getty Images; iStock)

REST ON THE ROAD – Sleep and travel don’t always mix. Experts share 7 tips on getting restful sleep during the summer vacation season. Continue reading…

TRAIL TRAGEDY – Another heat-related hiking death spotlights the need for safety protocols. Experts share 9 things to know before hitting the trail. Continue reading…

ASK A DOCTOR – “Is it safe to swim underwater with your eyes open?” Ophthalmologist Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler has the answer. Continue reading…

It may be tempting to open your eyes underwater, but experts warn that prolonged exposure could put your vision at risk. (iStock)

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With the number of Americans over age 65 expected to skyrocket by 47% between 2022 and 2050, there is a growing emphasis on living well — not just long — into the senior years.

Two gerontologists from Home Instead, a national in-home senior care provider owned by Honor Company in San Francisco, shared their top tips for how aging adults can stay healthy and energized.

1. Checkup from the neck up

Lakelyn Eichenberger, PhD, a gerontologist (aging expert) and caregiving advocate based in Omaha, Nebraska, recommends getting a baseline cognitive assessment early on to monitor your cognitive health. 

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“Cognitive exams are included as part of the Medicare wellness visit for those over 65,” she shared with Fox News Digital. 

“Even if you have no current concerns about your cognition, having a baseline and normalizing the conversation with your health care provider can open doors if issues arise down the road.”

2. Volunteer and give back

Engaging in volunteer activities can provide a sense of fulfillment and purpose, and it can also promote longevity, according to Eichenberger.

“Giving back can lift your mood, knowing you’re making a difference in others’ lives.”

“The connections made through volunteering offer important social outlets and opportunities to form new friendships,” she said. 

“Giving back can lift your mood, knowing you’re making a difference in others’ lives.”

3. Stay social

Jenny Munro, MA, a Nebraska-based gerontologist, emphasized the importance of older adults having an active social life and cultivating quality relationships.

“Make a point of connecting regularly with relatives, friends and neighbors,” she recommended in an email to Fox News Digital.

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It can be helpful to maintain social connections with people of different generations, both older and younger, Munro advised.

“Volunteer at a school or community center,” she suggested. “Focus on the relationships and activities that you enjoy the most.”

4. Never stop moving

Adults age 65 and over should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

They should also participate in at least two days of strength-training exercises and balance-improving movements, the agency recommends.

Adults age 65 and over should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week, according to the CDC. (iStock)

“You don’t need to go to a gym every day, but you do have to move,” Munro said. “Movement can include going for a walk, gardening and climbing stairs.”

Walking a mile is good for you, she said — and walking fast for a mile is better, as it will raise the heart rate. 

“Movement is essential for vitality,” Munro noted. “If you haven’t been exercising, starting today can significantly protect your brain later. It’s never too late.”

5. Learn and stay curious

“Adopt a learner’s mindset and follow your curiosity,” Eichenberger said. “Mental stimulation is beneficial for brain health and comes in many forms.”

“Be open to new experiences and maintain curiosity about the world, leading to a more engaged and fulfilling life.”

The expert suggests engaging in activities that challenge the brain, such as completing puzzles, reading, learning new skills or playing musical instruments. 

“Be open to new experiences and maintain curiosity about the world, leading to a more engaged and fulfilling life,” she advised.

6. Get proper nutrition

To manage healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, Munro recommends eating a high-nutrient diet that’s rich in whole grains, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, berries and fish — and low in red meat, butter and sweets. 

“When you eat a rainbow of vegetables, you eat a more diverse array of nutrients, many of them brain-friendly antioxidants,” an expert advised. (iStock)

“Eat a wide variety of different colored vegetables,” she said. “When you eat a rainbow of vegetables, you eat a more diverse array of nutrients, many of them brain-friendly antioxidants.”

The expert also recommends preparing meals at home, as this allows more control over the salt, sugar and fat content than buying prepared meals or food from restaurants.  

7. Manage caregiving stressors

Many family members become caregivers for an aging parent or loved one at some point. 

“While caregiving can be rewarding, it can also cause stress and put you at risk of burnout,” Eichenberger told Fox News Digital. 

“Long-term stress hormones like cortisol can negatively affect health.”

Finding ways to effectively manage stress can benefit the aging journey, the doctor said.

“Use resources like home care or respite care to provide breaks from the caregiving role, allowing you to refresh, recharge and tend to your own needs,” she suggested.

8. Prioritize sleep

Losing sleep will have both short- and long-term consequences on your health, according to Munro.

“During slumber, your brain clears away toxic waste that builds up early in the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” she said. 

To ensure adequate sleep, an expert recommends sticking to a schedule, waking up to early morning light, eliminating electronics before bed, and sleeping in a cool, quiet and dark place. (iStock)

“The body also heals tissues, strengthens memory and even grows during sleep.”

To ensure adequate sleep, Munro recommends sticking to a schedule, waking up to early morning light, eliminating electronics before bed, and sleeping in a cool, quiet and dark place.

9. Cultivate a positive attitude

Fostering a positive outlook on life has been linked to better health outcomes and longevity, according to Eichenberger.

“Embrace aging and lean into the wisdom and experience you’ve gathered over your lifetime,” she advised.

10. Maintain a sense of purpose

“A sense of purpose means that you see life as having meaning, a sense of direction and goals to live for,” Munro said — something she calls “active aging.”

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Staying engaged in a job, especially one that’s satisfying, tends to keep people physically active, socially connected and mentally challenged, Munro said, which helps to protect cognition. 

“Embrace aging and lean into the wisdom and experience you’ve gathered over your lifetime.”

“Delay retirement as long as possible. And when you retire, don’t quit on life,” she suggested.

“Find activities that are joyful and stimulating. There’s power to maintaining a sense of purpose by continuing to learn, discover and complete complex tasks.”

11. Plan ahead to age your way

Think about where and how you want to age, Eichenberger advised. 

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“Consider your living environment and how you can make modifications to ensure it’s suitable for aging in place,” she suggested. 

“Also, think about the support you might need to age on your own terms.”

After President Joe Biden’s address to the nation Wednesday night, multiple doctors shared their opinions with Fox News Digital about his perceived health status based on his live speech.

Seated in the Oval Office, the president spoke relatively briefly about his withdrawal from the 2024 race and his commitment to continuing to serve the country for the next few months. 

He did not mention his recent COVID-19 infection, ongoing concerns about his cognitive health, or the recent assassination attempt on the life of former President Donald Trump.

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Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor — who has never treated the president — noted that Biden seemed to be reading from a teleprompter on Wednesday night, as he often does, making it difficult for those watching to gauge his medical fitness.

Although Biden stumbled over his words a few times, Siegel was more concerned about the president’s apparent “lack of emotion.”

“It is a very emotional time for him and he isn’t showing it,” the doctor told Fox News Digital after the speech. “He seems to lack conviction.”

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Siegel expressed concern that Biden “could be depressed and shocked by the current reality.”

“I feel compassion for him,” Siegel went on. “How can he quote from the Declaration [of Independence] without much conviction? I feel bad for him and for us.”

“It is a very emotional time for him and he isn’t showing it.”

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Dr. Robert Lufkin, a California-based physician and medical school professor at UCLA and USC, also weighed in on Biden.

Lufkin noted that he has never examined Biden, but offered his observations based on Wednesday’s speech and recent media events.

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In previous appearances, Biden has shown signs of “cognitive deterioration,” the doctor told Fox News Digital.

“The findings in his previous presentations could have a variety of causes, including sleep deprivation, sedation, metabolic abnormalities or even neurodegenerative diseases.”

From left to right, Dr. Earnest Lee Murray; Dr. Marc Siegel; and Dr. Robert Lufkin offered observations about the president’s Wednesday night speech. (Dr. Earnest Lee Murray; Dr. Marc Siegel; Dr. Robert Lufkin)

Tonight’s short presentation appeared to be read from a teleprompter, Lufkin agreed — “which is less demanding than the more spontaneous Q&A debate format of some of his previous events.”

In previous appearances, such as the June 27 debate, Biden has shown “confused rambling, sudden loss of train of thought in the middle of a sentence, halting speech, and the repeated use of the word ‘anyway’ when lost in a sentence,” Lufkin noted.

“Tonight, we did not see these in his presentation,” he said. “His delivery was fairly uniform without interruptions.”

The fact that these findings were less apparent tonight could be due to the speech format of the presentation and use of a teleprompter, according to Lufkin.

Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. “That format is much less challenging and less likely to uncover pathology than a more rigorous Q&A exchange or debate format,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (Evan Vucci, Pool via AP)

“That format is much less challenging and less likely to uncover pathology than a more rigorous Q&A exchange or debate format,” he went on.

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He said he hoped that “continued interactions with Mr. Biden in various presentation formats will allow us to understand his situation in more detail.”

“I suspect the stress of trying to run for office and be president was leading to even worse daily cognitive performance,” said a neurologist on Wednesday night after watching Biden’s speech. Above, the president on Wednesday after returning to public view after nearly a week of seclusion due to COVID.  (Getty Images)

Dr. Earnest Lee Murray, a board-certified neurologist at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee, said the speech from the Oval Office was “clearly better” for Biden than the debate, but also noted that the president struggled at times with reading from the teleprompter. 

Murray has not treated or examined Biden.

“Reading simple passages do become difficult in patients with dementia,” he told Fox News Digital, expressing a professional opinion in general about such cases. 

The president struggled at times with reading from the teleprompter. 

“Patients with a dementing process have significant difficulties with multitasking,” said Murray, again speaking generally.

“President Biden seemed more rested and relaxed tonight,” Murray said. 

“I suspect the stress of trying to run for office and be president was leading to even worse daily cognitive performance,” he also said. 

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In response to earlier outreach from Fox News Digital, the White House press office said that “health was not a factor” in the president’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 race. 

“He looks forward to finishing his term and delivering more historic results for the American people,” the White House said in its statement.